


the sorcerer’s guide.

by jeonginks



Category: NCT (Band)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Fantasy, F/F, F/M, Fantasy, Fluff, i mean i guess it's fluff if you squint, part of an underdeveloped universe so might be kind of confusing
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-04-15
Updated: 2020-04-15
Packaged: 2021-03-01 18:27:15
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,276
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23661538
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/jeonginks/pseuds/jeonginks
Summary: donghyuck has specifically told you not to enter into the enchanted forest after midnight, but lo and behold, you did not listen to him.
Relationships: Lee Donghyuck | Haechan/Reader
Kudos: 15





	the sorcerer’s guide.

Donghyuck was seething with rage.

He remembered telling you specifically, before he sent you off to bed, that you should not head out of the house after the clock ticks after midnight. Especially not to intrude into the forest, one which you have no knowledge about even after reading so many books about it. Yet here he was, standing in the sacred land with a rapidly beating heart; his frustration that was once directed towards you had long shifted to the platinum-haired, black-eyed faery standing behind you.

The cold hand of the faery that was secured around the back of your throat tightened significantly at the smell of his anger. Upon their leader’s distressed signal, the other faeries waiting around the forest also changed their stance to one of precaution and preparation.

You grimaced at the death grip that restricted your airway, and the feeling of his long and dirty nails that covered the areas of your neck his flesh could not. All you had wanted to do was head into the forest to plug a few flowers for a spell you were experimenting on; who knew that faeries have a thing for sorcerer blood? And who knew that you were stupid enough to disregard Donghyuck’s warning about heading outside after midnight when the starry sky won’t save you?

“I’m sorry, Donghyuck–" you managed to croak out, but the second his name left your lips, so did a pained whimper as you felt the faery’s nails dig into your soft human skin.

Donghyuck’s gaze sharpened on your neck. A quick burst of panic raced through his veins like his fingertips got lit by a match on fire.

Faery nails are far too sturdy and strong for fleshy skin such as yours; he and everyone all knew the next bloody scratch would come easy and fast. It only takes one second for your delicate neck to scrape open and for your soul to crumble before his eyes.

“Oh–oh, what have we here–this one calls you by your real name. How peculiar,” the faery mocked with his breath fanning close to your face after he had yanked you backward forcefully. Your grunt sounding music to his ears and he could feel your magical blood boiling through your throat. It just made him hungrier and hungrier.

“Tell me, little one,” the faery whispered into your ear. His voice chillingly cold, freezing your posture up almost immediately after you heard him. “What is your relationship with the dragon?”

"It’s none of your fucking business,” Donghyuck chimed in as calmly as he could. His smooth voice cut through the air confidently but his eyes were shaky. They darted between your neck to your eyes and the faery holding you hostage under a knife, the only thing surfacing into his eyes was utter fear, for you and for what would become of him if anything is to happen to you.

You inhaled a tight breath when you saw an unfamiliar shadowy glow evaporating behind his body, the darkness lining up his figure like they were coming off of him. His hooded gaze was unlike what you always see on him—lazy, playful, annoying.

“That is no way to talk to someone who just stole something of yours,” the faery said with mock sympathy. He moved his fingers then, his sharp nails tentatively grazing across your skin, occasionally dipping into your skin as if to test for a good spot for the most blood like a vampire would. “Especially when you intruded into our land. This is our part of the forest, you know.”

“This forest belongs to everyone. If you hate that so much then I suggest your kind move out and find another sacred place to live in,” Donghyuck retorted, the darkness amplifying the more impatient he got. His eyes grazed past you for a single second, his jaw clenching tightly, "Give them back to me.”

"To you–oh, the dragon has gotten himself a possession! What deal did you make with him, little one?” the faery snickered loudly as he once again leaned close to you. You could feel a shiver run down your spine as he urged you to speak by running his nail down a line, seemingly trying to further entice Donghyuck’s anger.

One could not tell for sure, but the challenging eye contact made by the faery seemed to tell an interesting tale.

“You know, just for a little bit of your delicious blood, I can make a much better deal–“

"I said let them go,” Donghyuck cut the sentence off immediately, the dark aura magnifying abruptly for emphasis.

His chalky voice startled you. He had always sounded so velvety, his soft and husky tone practically dripping with liquid gold. There was a kind of appeal you couldn’t understand when a threatening element was added to the elegance. But you didn’t have the time to think much about how attractive Donghyuck’s voice was. Your neck was, still, being squeezed at death point.

“You interrupt me, boy. Why? Are you afraid they will leave you easily, for something so much better–“

“I hate repeating myself,” Donghyuck muttered, ignoring the surging feeling of dark power that dissolved on his skin; the creature in him growing more and more anxious and violent as seconds ticked by. “For the last time, let them go.”

Donghyuck knew very well he could be a pain in the ass daily, and his bratty antics were the reason why he only got three close friends and nobody else, but he would like to think he has given you everything he has already. If all he is and all he has are enough for you and up to your satisfaction. Even then, though, he could not help but let the fear surface that if he had let the faery speak of his contract, you wouldn’t blink to leave his side.

The faery sneered in annoyance. His eyes squinted condescendingly when Donghyuck gave him no reaction in return. Even a fool could tell his attention was never quite on the pointless conversation nor the faery; Donghyuck has spent all of his energy and observation on you, catching all the discomfort in your eyes and all your cries for help to free you from your position.

You must mean a lot to Donghyuck.

"Fine, you can have them back,” the faery replied calmly, way too calmly.

You breathed out a sigh. A silly move to be feeling relieved. Of all the books about myths and magic you have read, all snuggled up under a knitted blanket in Donghyuck’s library room, somehow you have never stumbled across a book about faeries and their knacks for deception.

“You can have them back dead.”

Things went downhill from there. The piercing pain that lingered on your throat, from the faery’s cut, was a measly problem compared to the hole Donghyuck—or whatever he has become—created in that creature’s chest. You were quick to cast a healing spell over it to seal the wound up, leaving a deep scar stained ugly and distracting on your neck.

As your wound sealed itself up, you let out a chocked gasp when you felt sharp nails claw at your shoulders, desperate for aid, desperate for another last breath. White blood poured out of the hollowness of his chest, sticking to the half-eaten heart visible to your eyes. You stumbled back into a fall and flinched away with a strangled noise, compiled to watch the faery struggle with death’s hand.

Forcing yourself to peel your eyes off the horrid you were facing, you turned your head in hopes to search for Donghyuck’s familiar face.

Donghyuck was lost in a pit of shadowy darkness, one that has taken the form of a dragon a few feet taller than the trees around you. He was engulfed in the dark magic, unknowing to what the dragon was doing to all the poor faeries who had tagged along to kidnap you for your blood.

You scrambled up from the floor amongst the yells and screams, amongst the array of falling trees that were being hit down by the dragon’s wings. your eye widened in utter shock at the dragon in front of you, almighty and tall. That was Donghyuck. He was the only one standing near that direction and now he was nowhere to be seen. You frowned at the thought; he has never once told you about this before.

A dragon? Donghyuck? Who would have thought!

Despite the confusion, you knew you needed to get him to stop somehow, because or else the forest would be in shambles and the invisibility ward would be broken for all to see the enchanted forest’s glory.

Stumbling forward, you placed a hand in front of your face to block out the violent wind that blew against your direction. The dragon continued to destroy its surroundings yet coincidentally, it has never once neared your proximity. It was only swatting objects around you, but never you.

Far enough to set the world into a pit of chaos, never close enough for you to experience the hellfire.

“Donghyuck–Donghyuck, you have to stop,” you yelled as you neared the center of the dragon, a place you assumed was where he would be.

The more you stepped close to him, the farther the darkness faded away from his human figure that stood hazy in the middle. You could see his glowy eyes now, both drenched in a shiny gold color and rendering his pretty orbs invisible. You assumed he could not hear you at all, hence why the destruction didn’t stop. Or perhaps he heard you but was not able to stop, his soul leaving all control completely up to his dragon form.

“Donghyuck, come on. You are going to destroy this place,” you reached out to his shoulder and shook him violently. “You need to stop, please,” you sighed when you received no response. He wasn’t even looking at you, his head tilted up to stare at a faraway place.

“Oh,” you whined faintly as you moved around to look at your surroundings. Being closer to him certainly did feel safer since the dragon wouldn’t be attacking anywhere near its host (not that it was attacking you in the first place), but the rumbles continued as nature continued to take the hit for the faery’s mistake of cutting your throat.

Your mind trailed to pages after pages of books you have read about monstrosity and possessions, exorcisms and banishment. Your brows furrowed painfully as you shook your head. That would be wrong. Donghyuck wasn’t possessed, this is him, this is who he is; you need not chase the dragon away, you need to chase it back inside his body and bring him forth once again.

What you needed was catharsis, to release Donghyuck from whatever was holding him back from his body.

But what brings him catharsis?

“Hyuck, hear me, please,” your eyes widened suddenly as you faced him. Cupping his jaw gently with your hands, you tilted his head down so his golden eyes would at least stare at you. “You can stop now. I’m okay, I’m not dead.”

The wind ceased for a moment and it picked up once again, but the velocity was much slower than before. The dragon, although still thrashing about with its wings, has grown significantly smaller than its previous form, you could see as you glanced upward briefly. Gasping out in relief, you lowered your head back to face level with him and, unconsciously, you rubbed his cheek with your thumb.

“Come back to me, Donghyuck,” you whispered, smiling faintly at him, “I’m okay.”

Donghyuck felt his consciousness being jolted out of his grasp, then quickly returned to his head with a pang of migraine. The shadow dragon retreated into his body and disappeared, leaving the wind and the chaos to their own quiet devices. The glow in his eyes continued to dim until he could finally adjust to the moonlight cascading down the world.

His blurry vision could make out the outline of your features, faintly, but his memories of your face were vivid enough to let him know that it was you holding onto him at the moment. “(Name),” his gentle voice croaked out dryly as he reached up for your hand, his eyes focused on you to regain better sight.

“I’m here,” you replied quickly.

“You–you’re okay.” There was immense relief in his voice like he was gasping out for air after being suffocated for too long.

“Yeah, I know a very good healing spell,” you nodded, squeezing his cheeks to further pull him out of his dazed trance, “I stole it from your journal, though, sorry about that. I haven’t developed my spell yet.”

Donghyuck managed a soft chuckle, his eyes squinting into laughter when he could finally make out your face. You couldn’t have stolen it. Everything he has is yours.

The light-hearted moment lasted briefly as the concern packed within his eyes soon burst its hold and flowed out when he glanced down to find the bumpy scar along your neck. Releasing your wrists, he immediately tilted your head up so he could examine it more carefully, his lips pressed together in thought while you flinched at his tender touch.

“Hmm, a good spell, but not good enough,” he muttered under his breath, tracing the line with the back of his index finger.

You gulped when he leaned down. The tip of his soft locks tickled the base of your chin, but the funny feeling was only momentary as your senses were soon overwhelmed by the feeling of his lips attaching to your neck and his tongue lightly flicking across your ugly scar. The discomfort of his saliva drenching through that particular line on your neck made you wince, your hands flying up to his shoulders immediately.

“Uh–uhm! Donghyuck–“

“Hold still, doll. I’m trying to heal your scar up,” his hand went to the back of your neck and held you in place. When you froze rigidly on your spot, your muscles tensing up and your grip on his shoulders tightening harshly, Donghyuck somehow breathed out a laugh at your obedience.

You closed your eyes, trying to think about something else to distract the position of his lips and the proximity of your bodies. It was proven to be no avail, though, as a blush unwillingly shone on your cheeks the more your attention stayed on his lips that trailed slowly across your neck. “You know,” you stuttered out, “I can just use some cream. I am sure there are plenty of scar creams in cosmetic stores.”

Donghyuck chuckled, his hot breath hitting your skin. you opened your eyes with pursed lips, feeling your chest pick up its pace. It seemed that he was finally at the end of his healing journey, he planted one last kiss on your neck, one he could not resist letting go, and he pulled away from you with the same knowing gaze you claimed you hated so much. It was the annoying kind, the one where it looks like he saw through you completely, the one that looks as if he knew your heart was fuming the whole time as he kissed along your neck.

“For normal scars, yes. But the scar you got is from a faery, not just some random cut,” he watched as you touched your neck, your eyes brightening when you found yourself coming in contact with a smooth surface. He smiled inwardly, his eyes softening. “Those creams you speak of is not going to help at all.”

“Oh… I kind of figured…” you muttered under your breath. then you let your hands fall to your side, and they met each other once again in front of your abdomen when you looked up to face Donghyuck properly for the first time this night. You figured it was time for you to give him a proper apology, for causing trouble with the forest and with him.

You searched his eyes for any trace of disappointment; if there were any then he wasn’t showing it. He looked almost guilted, even, as if everything that happened was his fault. A pang landed on your chest at the thought—come to think of it, how many times has he taken the blame for all your magical wrongdoings after he rescued you from the streets and took you under his wing?

Clearing your mind of his irritating and humorous tendencies, it seemed like the answer should be all the time.

“Feeling bad about what you did now, huh?” Donghyuck spoke kindly, crossing his arms in front of his chest and arching a brow at you.

“I’m sorry,” you muttered, not looking at him.

He smiled fondly at you, taking the opportunity to unknowingly express his affection when you were too busy staring at the floor in remorse. He has never been one to be able to accurately say how he feels. That was really where all the brattiness and annoyances came from. It was all he ever knew to do to gain attention from you.

“Don’t worry about it, I’m just glad I got here in time,” he patted your head, “Just don’t make the same mistake again, okay?”

You gave him a meek nod and a soft hum in response.

He removed his hand and placed it on his hip. He took a look around the forest and grimaced at the damage he has done. It has been quite some time since he last turned into his full form, after all, it would be much more convenient for everybody if he never showed the shadow dragon, but that has caused him his control and estimation of his ability.

“This is–oh god, I think we should find the faery king and explain this,” Donghyuck spoke, “And maybe find a few other friends I know for help.”

“What, why? We–you just killed his people! He probably hates us!”

He snorted with an eye roll, “Not after you tell him what happened to you.”

“I tell him?”

“Yes, you tell him,” he nodded, “This happened because of you, so you tell him.”

“Oh–okay.”

“Mmhmm,” he nodded, then his eyes rolled upwards as if in thought. Sucking in a small gasp, he muttered, “But I don’t know if he’s gonna be too happy about the damage, though. This _is_ his part of the forest.”

Seeing your nervous glare, he laughed loudly and waved his hand at you, almost as if accusing you of being in such an anxious state of mind. “I’m joking, (Name)! Oh god! Don’t worry, he is an old friend of mine. He won’t kill you,” Donghyuck said.

“You are insufferable,” you rolled your eyes and lightly hit his arm.

“I know,” he nodded in agreement, showing completely no signs of guilt.

Scoffing, you turned away from him to avoid having to see his face at all. Donghyuck continued to laugh, his mood never once ceasing to be joyous even at the face of your annoyed state. He tapped your shoulder then, and when he received no response, he did it again.

“What?” You asked, turning around.

He shrugged, “Since we are already here, care to explain what you are looking for?”

You rubbed your eyes and blinked. You had almost forgotten about the spell you were in the middle of creating. Sniffing the fresh air, you hesitated for a moment before you replied, “Conium maculatum.”

He widened his eyes. Poison; not just any poison, a poison strong enough to kill a dragon if you use the right amount. Not to mention the ones grown in the enchanted forest were cared for by elves in possession of unicorn tears as fertilizers. You and your tiny human figure would die within minutes of stepping near the plant.

“Have you got a spell to shield yourself?” He asked, his brows furrowed.

“I–I think so, yeah?” You nodded.

“That doesn’t sound too confident to me,” he said, “So either way you were going to die. If not by faeries, it is by poisonous plants that are ten feet taller than us.”

“Well, I haven’t found any, have I?” You said, slightly annoyed.

Donghyuck looked at you tiredly, his voice turning into a nagging tone that made your heart swell in guilt. “I only came because the mailbird saw you walking with the faeries. She happened to pass by this area. I might not have saved you if you were suffocating under poisonous Hemlocks.”

You looked away, nodding, “Sorry.”

“That plant can kill me,” he pointed at himself, his nose scrunched up.

“You as in you or the other you?”

Donghyuck’s shoulders slumped and he deadpanned at you, feeling more troubled than anything. He thought you were going to let the matter go, but judging by the slightly calculative tone you got when you bounced the sentence at him, you wanted to know about the dragon more than anything. He realized he made a mistake of not coming clean earlier, but to his defense, he didn’t think that side of him would come out so soon.

“Look–“

“You are hiding that from me,” you said, “Why?”

“It’s… it’s dangerous.”

You smiled a little, bewildered at his reason. “To other people, yeah, but it didn’t… hurt me at all.”

Donghyuck paused. It didn’t? That was… interesting. Perhaps he did have some sort of control over the power, after all. It was either that or even the dragon’s indiscriminate attacks learned to have an exception because of how strong his affection was towards you.

His adam’s apple bobbed nervously. It was one of those times for him, one of those realization dawning on him so quickly he needed to take a moment to lay out the truth—the feelings he gained for you has gotten stronger than he thought it had.

“Donghyuck?”

“Yeah?”

Your mouth pressed into a frown. He was completely out of it, but you only took his reaction as the aftermath of what just happened, fortunately for Donghyuck. And as curious as you were, you thought you should ask him about his identity in detail some other time; hopefully, when you two were able to stay safely in the library with a cup of nice coca to drown down the information because it seemed like there would be a lot for you to take in.

“Let’s go home,” you said, looking into his eyes urgently but your voice was quiet.

He blinked, turning to gesture into an unknown direction, “Oh, but what about the Hemlocks–“

“They can wait, I think you need some sleep,” you replied, looking around you carefully as you started to notice smaller, harmless creatures coming out of their caves after being awoken from their slumber. “We can come back later, maybe after fixing this… big hole in the middle of the forest.”

Donghyuck discreetly flashed a smile, appreciative of your concern. Nodding in agreement, he held out his hand for you to hold, his heart pumping in hopes that you wouldn’t reject the offer. The rejection would be much harder to handle than the embarrassment that would come with it. He watched with pointed eyes as you looked down at his hand and back up at him, your brows furrowed the way you always do when he did something to annoy you.

He planned to retreat his hand with a burst of playful laughter, but much to his surprise, you quickly grabbed it and stood close to him. Gasping with no suppression, his overjoyed smile showing a hint of smugness in it, he said, “You actually took my hand!”

Perking up at his words, you scratched the back of your neck shyly but aggressively before gesturing towards the forest, “Well… I don’t know my way around the forest. I got here because the faery–“ you grimaced at the dead body still laying on the ground; have you both been neglecting it’s presence the entire time? “He led me here so… I don’t know how to get out. And there are little things jumping around, couldn’t you see?”

“Oh, I could,” he nodded, tugging at your hand and bringing you along as he started to walk. “They are fine, though. Not as smart as the creatures that can talk and utilize magic as we can.”

You let out a low grumble, putting caution in every step you take while staying as close to Donghyuck as possible. He was enjoying the closeness, for sure, but seeing how alerted you were have put him in a rather weird position. The forest should be a safe place, or at least for the most part. It was a shame that your first trip around got promptly destroyed by the little bad parts of this place.

The leaves crunched underneath your shoes and for several times, you both had to hoist and pull each other just to get over a fallen tree. Donghyuck made no attempts to start a conversation and neither did you make any witty remark regarding his silence. He came in the same way he headed out, he could even remember the roads he ran over in hopes to get to you quick enough.

The exit welcomed you both quickly enough. Donghyuck squeezed your hand when he could see the fire-poles illuminating the village streets, and he looked at you, “I will give you a tour of the forest someday.”

“Mmhmm.”

“Hopefully that one would change your perspective of this place,” he said, “It was a bad first impression.”

You said nothing, but the squeeze of your hand said enough.


End file.
